Villa Skärtofta in 1897

Villa Skärtofta was created by architect Gustaf Lindgren for engineer John Bernström as a year-round residence for Bernström and his family. The grand brick building, which was initially called the Bernström villa, consisted of three floors, a basement and impressive details that make the villa an architectural gem. The villa was a pioneer in many ways and had electricity from the Saltsjöbaden electricity plant, which was the first of its kind in Sweden for private houses. Villa Skärtofta had Sweden's first electric passenger lift in a private villa. The heating was done through air ducts fed with hot air from a boiler in the basement, and the house was also equipped with tiled stoves and fireplaces.

John Bernström was then CEO of the machine company AB Separator, which today is better known as Alfa Laval.

He lived here with his wife and 11 children. He was a strong authoritarian and deeply religious. In the large entrance hall, now known as Sundellhallen, he gathered family and employees for Sunday services where he himself preached and led songs from the balcony on the first floor. As an employer, he was hostile to socialist unions, which contributed to severe conflicts with the workers which came to be a consequence of the political suffrage strike of 1902. After John Bernström, the villa was owned by the wholesaler Carl Settervall who renamed it Villa Skärtofta and later it was settled by the Russian prince Conde Cheff who had fled the Russian Revolution together with his wife. Parties were held here for other Russian exiles. One of many exciting dimensions in the house's history. Later, Villa Skärtofta part of the Kooperativa Förbundet's course activities, which was the start of Vår Gård 's history as a well-known meeting place throughout the country.

Image below: The inscription on the marble fireplace in the entrance hall that reads "Ora et Labora" (pray and work)